MILITARY PROBATIONERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1050, 13 February 1911, Page 4

MILITARY PROBATIONERS.

Ik The Dominion of Tuesday last there was' published an official announcement by tho General Staff-at headquarters', to' tho effect that certain officers and , non-commissioned officers had left the training camp at Tauhorinikau; "some at their- own rcquost,"- The paragraph further stated;

'.'The Commandant hopes it will be clearly understood that in no case has there been any. fault to find,with these officers and non-commissioned officers. They hayo worked extremely hard and well during tho whole tiino they have been.at camp, hnd only leavo because it is realised by.tho authorities, and in most cases by ■ themselves, that, they do not in ali respects .qi'ite fulfil the very high l standard, or military qualification required in tho njw adjutants and area non-coniniissioned officers,", One of tho officers concerned' has since complained to us that when his services were dispensed with ho was, unablo ■ to . ascortain ' precisely >in what respect he "did not quite .fulfil tho very high standard of military qualification required. ■. . ." Wo havo gono very carefully into this matter; and wo must'confess to some doubt as to the full merits', of tho point raised. Tho.General Staff at headquarters, it appears,' hold the view that the'reasons which assisted tho Commandant to decido that ,thb officers and non-commissioned officers in q'uostion "did not'quite fulfil' tho very high standard of military qualification roqiiired" , ',cannot bo publicly idiscussod. In view of tho circumstance that! the 'individuals affected aro now placed in the position of having to'find other employment, this no doubt is qujtc proper.' That there will be .-differences of opinion;.. however, as to whether, these reasons cannot bo.discussed between the Commandant and tho individual concerned is. almost equally apparent.:At.first'sight it would appear to ba the natural nhd proper thing that probationary officers who fail to meet requirements should be told their shortcomings in dotail if ,they desire tho information.' It would nqt bo likely to. lcssqn their disappointment yory much, however, and especially whoro tho deciding test might involve, an-analysis' 'or personal characteristics, the rejected candidate - be very hard to coriyi nee l tnat'h; correct judgment had been arrived .at concerning; his^.qsalificxitidns.,, Indeed, we can. poncoiyo*that \vhcn, any judg-, mont is^orjfied,",butsido, th'o'tests :n----theory and 'practice,'. as' prese'ribed in the set'.cxaminations,''the 'Commandant would, ,'haye; difficult,' if not'impossible,'task to cdhvinco candidates, ad^y«r.se|y r Reported;'ori ; Hhat ho wasnoc'in error in estimating thoir military qualifications. In the circumstances it,. is.-not altogether surprising that tho cdurso complained of-has been ifollowcd. MajoeGenehal Godley is said to hold ■ the opinion that , the procoduro followed is "the proper,one, and -we cannot ■ ignore: the weight, of his .judgment. The responsibility for the creation of an efficient.forco rests after';oll on his shoulders, and no one knows ; bet-: tar than ho does..the._.necessity, for tho selection, of, in all branches of the service,'if a proper degree of efficioncy.is to bo attained. "This being' so, tho'matter must bo left in , his hands!ah'd to'his judgment. We havo.hb doubt, now that tho' question '■■ has been ■' raised, that ho will give tho question Jiis attention; and, should.he see his way to relax at ail tho rulo laid down .as , to the amount of information to be supplied to unsuccessful probationers, he can bo relied on to do so.